The Box
by the mighty lu bu
Summary: ONE SHOT: Gabrielle wakes up and finds herself inside an Iron Box, no food, no room to move. Just her, and the box... and no chance for her to make an escape...


x

The Box

The Mighty Lu Bu wishes everyone a happy Halloween. I hope you enjoy this different kind of story that I'm presenting here.

Gabrielle awoke in an uncomfortable position. She found herself leaning against hard iron. She couldn't explain it, the night before she was at a Tavern waiting while Xena went off and did her hero thing. Gabrielle didn't remember going to sleep lying on metal. In fact, after she'd got her a small meal at the tavern, she went right to bed in the room that they'd rented for her to sleep while she waited for Xena to come back the next day or so.

Opening her eyes, she looked in front of her. Rusty Iron… She could feel the cold metal against her legs. She looked up seeing Iron above her. She looked to her left, and to her right, Iron. Behind her, below her, Iron. It dawned on her; she was in some kind of box. Looking above she saw 8 little holes, each about the width of her thumb. There was light, meaning that it was day, possibly early in the morning.

She remained sitting, because the box wasn't high enough for her stand, in fact, it was just a a few inches above her head. Her feet were pulled in with the knees bent; she couldn't unbend her knees because of the length of the box was too short.

She was in trouble and she knew it. Looking around, the fear grew within her as she knew she was trapped in here. Seeking any possible escape she began to realize there was no escape. On instinct, she called out, "Help!"

But there was no answer. She called out again, "Help me please!" But no one answered. Whimpering she begged, "Please help me!" But there was nothing. She calmed her nerves trying to gather herself, "Ok Gabrielle, what do you do?"

Looking around again, she discovered what she had found before; she stuck in a metal box with no way for her to get out. Deep inside her something began to build up in her, but she calmed it. "Xena will save me." She hoped, and even felt confident it was true.

"I've been in bad places before, burning coffins, burning at the stake, hanging over a lake of lava. I made it, she saved me."

She reasoned, but looking around at the dark metal, she found no confidence to be given to her. She smashed her hand on the top of the box hoping that maybe there was a way out, but there wasn't one. She pressed on the side with her feet hoping to push the box open, but it wouldn't budge. It was Iron; there was nothing that her flesh and bone could do against solid metal. She bowed her head; she was going to have to wait for Xena.

Time passed, having nothing to do, she thought about the stories she'd told, the ones about when things were really bad, but Xena was there to save her. At Troy, and against the horde, and fighting Callisto, Xena was there. She looked around, greeting again with the shameless Iron that just glared back at her.

"Wouldn't you like to hear a story?"

The Iron didn't answer.

"I'll just assume that you do."

The iron seemed to ignore her. Gabrielle recounted the story of how she first met Xena in the village of Potidaea, and how Xena defeated Draco. The Iron didn't care. It grew warmer in the box as the sun now shown through the holes. Soon Gabrielle began to notice how hot it was, which was fine, her back was starting to hurt and she thought, maybe this would distract her.

The temperature rose, and Gabrielle could do nothing but sit and back. Getting hotter and hotter sweat rolled down her body. There was nothing she could do to get out of it.

"Now would be a great time for Xena to arrive."

But no one came. The heat grew more intense as her brown skirt and green top was now soaked in sweat.

Burned by heat, and ached by discomfort she held on. She'd just got to Mortal Beloved, as she'd titled it in her scroll. Getting Xena to talk about what happened in Hades while Gabrielle had been writing it was no small task. The warrior wasn't overly fond of talking about herself in such a manner, nor did she really care for Gabrielle's writing of the story. But Gabrielle smiled as Xena finally acquiesced, no doubt to shut her up at the time.

But Gabrielle stared back at the metal, it was pointless, the Iron was still there and it wasn't going anywhere. She grew tired as she boiled inside the metal box under the hot sun. All Gabrielle wanted to do was just cool off, and maybe get a drink. Her tongue was dry like a desert. Gods, she couldn't recall being this thirsty. To get up, to move, to get cooled off, and oh by the gods, just to have some cool delicious water.

It was all Gabrielle could ask for. The Heat continued through the day and Gabrielle sat there in that box, growing more uncomfortable by the moment. She'd wiggle her back, but it did nothing for her, in fact, it seemed to make things worse as she could her skin growing raw. In desperation she leaned forward, rubbing the top of her head against the metal roof of the tiny box.

"Oh Gods Xena… I wish you would just hurry up."

What if Xena didn't arrive, what if this little metal box was Gabrielle's coffin? What if she was doomed to die here, not of heat, but of thirst? She fought those feelings but as the day wore on and on, they grew within her. Having nothing better to do she stared up at the holes.

"Xena… Xena… Xena please! I just wanna get out of here!"

But it was to no avail, this was her box, her prison, her coffin. She fought the image of her skeleton leaning, still leaning against this iron box. Soon she felt a cooling in the air as it got darker, at least as she could tell looking through these 8 tiny holes.

As the temperature further cooled around her, a single tear fell down her face. She was going to die here. Maybe Xena was looking for her, maybe not, but the truth was, Xena would never make it in time. Looking up at the iron box that surrounded her, she found no comfort as it seemed to glare back at her, uncaring of the small bard's fate. This was her prison, her death, in a metal box out in the middle of who knows.

She couldn't let herself think like that, Xena was going to rescue her and she knew it, she just need to have confidence, the warrior was coming…

Gabrielle huddled in tightly as the air grew colder. She never recalled the night air feeling so cold, but she knew what it was. The iron box absorbed all the heat and left none for her; The Box it was cruel that way, preferring to leave her shivering alone.

The night wore on as Gabrielle shivered in every effort to keep warm, but it was a useless effort. She could only wish for a blanket or even just more clothes to keep warm, but there was nothing for it. Her whole body ached, she wanted to extend her arms out, but she couldn't thanks to confines of the box, her legs were cramped, as her back, despite all efforts to keep it from rubbing against the Iron, grew increasingly sore.

She cried out, "Let me out of here! Do you hear me! Whoever the hades you are! Let me out here! I'm warning you!"

Nothing but the night air was heard, and it cared not for Gabrielle's existence, nor did it rally for her freedom. Gabrielle leaned back and began to sob, she mumbled through her tears, "You've gotta keep it together Gabrielle, you gotta be strong, like Xena."

But she wasn't feeling so strong, she started to feel like that helpless little girl about to be beat with a whip, just waiting for Xena to show up. She was that little girl who couldn't do nothing for herself. Her tears didn't last long, as her body had dried up from lack of water. Her tongue felt so dry, she hated it. She tried to call up her mucus in an effort to get some moisture going upon her tongue.

However, it didn't help but only proved to remind her that she was thirsty, and cold, and hurting, and absolutely miserable. That simple iron box, such a cruel machination. She looked up through the tiny holes; she could make out a few stars. She dare not move, she'd just found a good spot and she didn't know how long it would last before the discomfort began again. Somewhere out there, there was Xena, hopefully riding to her rescue.

Time continued to pass as she began to grow uncomfortable, her moment of comfort had only been temporary, and now as the night wore on she knew she was going to be unable to sleep as her body ached from the position she had maintained all day long.

"Oh Xena… please hurry," Whispered the bard.

The next morning arrived to find Gabrielle weeping in misery, while not a full cry it was more like moans, her body demanded that she move and release the tension of her muscles, her kidneys craved water, her stomach craved food, and her mouth craved moisture, but her spirit craved most of all, a release.

Now on the second day of no water she began to wear down, to tire out. She knew she wouldn't last much longer without something to drink, perhaps not even the day, especially if it was a hot one. There was a small relief in that as she knew that soon she wouldn't be suffering.

Here inside of cell where she trembled in misery she embraced the idea of freedom by death, she wouldn't be in this cold hard iron box. She stared hard at the box as if taunting it with the knowledge that it couldn't keep here. She'd get the last victory, for the box would claim her body, but it could never claim her spirit.

The day wore on as Gabrielle grew increasingly tired; she seemed not to care, even as it grew hotter around her. She wasn't going to be around much longer; she just stared down at the Iron floor of this metal box and waited for it to come. Maybe a few hours and it would all be over. There wasn't much a point left in screaming, there wasn't much a point left in anything.

Suddenly Gabrielle looked up, she heard noises. She didn't know what they were, but they were vaguely familiar. She quickly realized that they were voices, one female at least.

"What did you do with Gabrielle!"

Gabrielle in a shock of excitement rose up and bumped her head on the Iron roof of the box. She called out, "Xena I'm over here!"

But her voice could only manage a whisper…

"Where is Gabrielle? Tell me now or I will make you truly suffer!"

A male voice said, "Xena, those metal boxes, maybe she's in one of those."

Gabrielle listened as she realized her voice was too gone to call out.

"By the gods," Said the male voice, "There must be a hundred of them. It could take us hours to check them!"

Xena shouted, "Where is Gabrielle!"

Gabrielle didn't have hours so she called out again, "Xena! I'm here! In the box!"

But despite her attempts to shout, nothing could be heard. She could hear banging going on, which she assumed was Xena smashing on another metal box with perhaps her chakram.

"Gods…" Said the male voice, "It's a child… she's been here for a month at least!"

"I'm going to make you suffer you bastard for what you've done!" shouted the voice of Xena.

Gabrielle desperate to get Xena's attention somehow stuck her fingers through the holes on top the box. She did the best she could but her muscles were so tired she could barely hold them up.

"Silas, look, over there!" Shouted the voice of Xena.

"I see it!"

Gabrielle heard the sound of running and then finally she heard the call that she so longed to hear, "Gabrielle! You in there?"

Gabrielle couldn't respond, she had no voice, but instead she reached out with her finger one more time… Her heart leapt when she felt the touch of another's flesh upon her finger. Like a charge through her body, the feeling of the warrior's touch seemed to recharge her body.

"Gabrielle, hold on, I'm going to get you out!"

Gabrielle withdrew her hand as she felt sudden banging against the cage. The vibration shook her whole body and made her bones hurt, but anything to get out of this accursed place. The vibrations moved along the side, and then finally behind where she was laying. Expecting, hoping, that this wasn't a dream, she looked up in hopes to finally see that damn Iron removed from her sight.

The top opened as Gabrielle looked up to see her Dark Haired warrior and a man alongside her.

Gab…"

Gabrielle could see the tears well up in Xena's eyes. Gabrielle wanted to cry, but she had no moisture left to excrete. Xena reached down and pulled the bard from outside of her prison, and took her into her arms.

"Xena," Gabrielle whispered.

Xena replied back, "Yes…"

"I'm sorry if I smell."

"It's not your fault. Here… drink."

A single canteen was put up to the bards cracked lips as she tried to suck down every last drop of moisture.

"Easy now Gabrielle, not too fast."

Gabrielle didn't listen; she was so focused on getting the water that Xena finally have to pull the canteen back from her.

"I love you Gabrielle."

Gabrielle struggled to whisper, "I love… you to."

Xena turned around and stared at a man lying sprawled out upon the ground. Gabrielle instantly recognized him, "He… was at the tavern that night…"

Regaining her focus she saw several opened boxes.

Silas spoke, "That's not all, you were just the latest victim of his in a sick game. He's been collecting people and putting them in Iron contraptions and leaving them to die. He gets off on their screams and wails of desperation."

Gabrielle looked around to see several more boxes, some of them just being opened to reveal more bodies, young girls, young boys, even small children, and all dead going through various points of rotting decay.

Xena turned to Silas, "I know you've got a duty as the town magistrate but if you will allow me, I think I can work true justice."

Those were the last words Gabrielle heard before passing out.

8

Gabrielle opened her eyes as she looked up to see the night sky. Suddenly at a sound she quickly turned her head to see Xena.

"You're awake."

Gabrielle smiled, "Didn't think I'd get to see you again."

Xena approached her bard just as she sat up. Taking her seat in front of Gabrielle, the warrior, "I wasn't sure I was going to make it in time, I thought I was going to be to late…"

"I'm sorry Xena."

"What for?"

Gabrielle looked downward as a few tears started to fall, "I thought you weren't coming, how terrible of me to doubt you like that…"

"Gabrielle, you were in a tough situation, most people would have lost their minds in that. That's whole design around what he does, drive a person insane before they die. I'm not mad, and you don't have anything to apologize for."

Gabrielle looked up to meet the pleasantly warm face of the warrior, "Xena… thank you for rescuing me, again."

"You're welcome Gabrielle…"

"What are we going to do now?"

Xena paused, "Well first, you're going to rest, we'll take it slow for a few days."

Gabrielle nodded, "I could probably use a little rest." Gabrielle paused as a thought occurred to her, "Xena… how did all this happen?"

"The tavern owner and the man who did this to you were in on it together. He'd select out one person, and then tell the tavern owner, who would then slip something in your drink. We found over a hundred corpses at the site, not all of them from around here. I guess he'd been preying on the road in earlier days. You just were unlucky enough to become one of his victims."

Gabrielle nodded, "What happened to him?"

Xena paused for a moment as if deciding how best to tell Gabrielle, "Well… after the Tavern Owner confessed, he was put in prison and will be likely shipped off to a prisoner island somewhere."

Gabrielle asked, "What about the man who imprisoned me?"

"He… after you passed out, he tried to attack Silas, the magistrate that was helping me…"

"So he's dead then…"

Xena nodded, and then finally she reached out and grabbed the bard and pulled her into a tight hug, "Don't ever scare me like that again…"

"I won't… I promise."

8

A man lay against something hard, not knowing what it was; he reached around to feel what it was. It was hard like metal. Opening his eyes he found he was suddenly greeted by the view of Iron. On the top, and on the sides, and in front was all iron.

He gulped, this man, the man who'd imprisoned so many people in those atrocious metal boxes, now found himself stuck in one of those same boxes.

Panicked he pushed outward with his legs but couldn't free himself, "No." he said.

He punched the metal top in hopes that it would come open, but it didn't budge.

"No!"

Looking up, and looking around, he realized that he was now trapped inside one of those metal traps.

"No you can't do this to me! I will not be bound by my own metal traps!"

Hearing no sound he shouted again, "Let me out of here now! I demand that you release me!"

But no one replied, he looked up at the cruel iron as it seemed to darkly stare back at him, with that, he realized, this was to be his grave, his coffin.

Unable to accept that, he shouted, "No… no… NOOOOOOO!"


End file.
